I Missed The Memo
by CBloom2
Summary: From a prompt about Ethan being ill and Cal coping, or not. Usual hurt Ethan/Caring Cal.


**Hey, I'm back again! Thank you once more to everyone who read and/or reviewed my last story - I'm sure you know how much it means to me.**

 **I had one review from a guest who said that my hurt Ethan fics were getting quite repetative - I like many others seem to like hurting the characters we like the most, I don't know why, I can't explain it but we do, hence my hurt Ethan/protective, caring Cal. I will always write for those two when I write a Casualty fic so obviously if it's getting boring then there are plenty of other stories to read - but thank you for taking the time to read mine.**

 **Onto this story...firstly a shout out to** **fandomgirlxx** **for her idea as I was in the process of trying to develop an idea of my own and something that they suggested helped me finalise it. I hope I do it justice.**

 **Obviously it's a hurt, well actually ill Ethan in this one and it's from Cal's p.o.v.**

 **I don't own anyone that you recognise, just like to hurt them now and again!**

 **I Missed The Memo**

Cal groaned inwardly as his brother almost skipped into the ED, even though he understood why. Ethan had been off work for the last two weeks with flu. It had really hit him hard, with him having to spend the first week in bed, which was completely out of character. It had only been six months since the car crash that took Jeff's life and nearly stole Ethan from him and since the younger man's return to work, he had picked up every bug and virus that had been going around, which was why, Cal thought, the flu hit him as hard as it did. His brother's body was just exhausted and needed the rest. The problem was that once he started to feel a bit better, he immediately started getting stir crazy, demanding to go back to work. Cal had managed to persuade him that he needed to rest so that he was in tip top shape when he did go back. That day was today. Ethan had been up with the dawn chorus, pottering about, getting ready, even having Cal's breakfast ready for him.

They walked in together, members of staff greeting them both adding their happiness at seeing Ethan back on his feet. They got changed in the staff room and before he knew it Cal was on his own, Ethan had already disappeared to treat patients.

He threw the stethoscope around his neck and made his way into the now busy ED.

Robyn was the first to find him asking him to see a patient that she had been taking a medical history on, "It's good to see Ethan back," she commeted as they walked.

"Yes, he soon gets impatient at home," Cal replied as he scanned the department for his brother.

"Everything alright Cal?" she asked, noticing his far off gaze.

"Oh...yeah...just looking," he mumbled.

"He'll be fine," she assured him.

The day passed without much incident - that is until about half a hour before the end of their shift, when Charlie gathered everyone together, "Ok everyone, we have at least ten incoming older people from a home all with varying degrees of gastroenteritis. They are all over eighty so these cases are causing concern with dehydration being the main concern as most of them haven't had anything to eat or drink for at least 12 hours. They will obviously be in some discomfort and distress so I'm sure I don't need to tell you that kindness and empathy will go a long way."

Cal sighed deeply just as Ethan walked past him, "So close to getting out on time," he said to his brother.

Ethan smiled ruefully, "I know - never mind..."  
"You ok?" Cal asked noticing that the younger man looked a little pale.

Ethan nudged his glassed up on his nose, "Yes. I'll admit I'm a bit tired but I'm fine."

Cal watched him disappear, not clapping eyes on him again until three hours later when all the patients were either discharged or sent to the wards and they were finally able to leave the hospital.

They travelled home in virtual silence, both weary to the bone. Cal kept casting furtive glances at his brother, just to make sure that he was alright.

When they arrived home, Cal insisted that Ethan have to first shower while he put the kettle on and made them both a sandwich. They both struggled to eat the sandwich, "I can still smell the ED," Ethan told him.

Cal agreed. He shivered as he recalled the stench of vomit and other things that assaulted their senses once all the patients had arrived at the hospital, "I know what you mean. Those poor people. I hope they are more comfortable now," the older man mused, as he chewed slowly on his sandwich.

"Well, I think I'm going to bed," Ethan told him as he rinsed his plate, "Busy first day back and I'm rather tired."

"I won't be far behind you," Cal answered as he tidied his own plate away, then grabbed a beer from the fridge while he watched tv. His mind wasn't on the tv though, he was thinking once more about his brother and everything that had happened to him in the last six months. Although it had been a stressful time, one good thing to come out of it was a new closeness between the two of them, for which Cal was thankful for.

As he left the room to go to bed, he paused outside Ethan's room, listening for any signs of distress, like he had for the last five months once the nightmares had started. They had been getting better recently, although when he was ill with the flu, the younger man had a couple of belters. Cal was relieved to hear nothing coming from his brother's room, so he made his way to his own room and fell into a deep, restful sleep.

The following morning dawned bright and sunny - to sunny for Cal's liking as it shone mercilessly through his curtains, reminding him that it was time for him to get up - as if he needed reminding. He glanced at his clock and noticed that it was 6am. He laid quietly for a while, listening to the birds chirruping away outside his window, waiting to hear movement from the flat's other occupant, who was always up before he was. He didn't hear anything so he decided to drag himself out of bed and into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for the two of them.

Twenty minutes passed with no sign of Ethan. Cal frowned as he munched on his toast, this was not like his brother - he would give him a couple more minutes then go and wake him up. It was a tough first day back for him so he deserved a few more minutes shut eye. As it turned out, he didn't need to wake him because a minute later Ethan almost staggered into the kitchen, "You should've woken me," he yawned. Cal couldn't help but chuckle at his normally pristine brother's 'bedhead'.

"I was just about to...toast?" Cal was surprised when Ethan paled and shook his head, "No thanks, not that hungry at the moment - I'll get something at work," he told him.

Cal felt uneasy - something wasn't right, "You ok Nibbles?" he resorted to the old nickname - that usually got a reaction...but not this morning.

"I'm fine, just tired," Ethan insisted, much to Cal's surprise.

Ethan grabbed a glass of water then dragged his feet back to his room to get ready.

Half a hour later, they were out of the door. Cal couldn't shift the feeling of unease, even though he wasn't quite sure why he felt that way, but he knew it had something to do with his brother.

They bumped into Lofty on their way in, "You ok Ethan? You look as white as a sheet!"

The young doctor looked shocked, "Yes of course. Just a little tired..." With that he strode off ahead of them. Lofty looked to Cal, who shrugged his shoulders, "Perhaps he is just tired?" he said to the nurse, even though he didn't believe it himself.

They were soon inundated with patients, leaving Cal no time to think about his brother, until a couple of hours into his shift, when he happened to glance towards the nurses station just in time to see Charlie with his arm around Ethan guiding him towards the staff room. The young doctor looked as green/grey as Cal's scrub top, that much the older brother could see. 'Oh no' he thought, 'not again'.

Cal couldn't leave his patient at the moment, so he tried to concentrate the best he could, which was hard. Finally, he was able to leave the patient with Robyn to take some blood, so he strode quickly into the staff room. He didn't know what to expect, but he didn't expect to see his little brother curled up on the sofa with his arms around his stomach, moaning in what looked like pain, "Ethan, what is it? What's wrong?" Cal felt a knot in his stomach.

"Cal," he gasped, "Stomach pains...been sick..."

The older man sat by the stricken man's side, surprised to feel heat radiating from him, "Oh Ethan, I think you might have caught the bug..."

"You think," Ethan gasped as he started retching into a bucket that Charlie had earlier provided. Cal filled a glass of water and brought it to Ethan's mouth, only to have it pushed away, "Can't...sick..."

"Ethan, you know better than anyone that when you're constantly being sick you need to keep your fluids up..."

"I'll only throw it back up," he argued.

Cal's anxiety went up a notch when he noticed that Ethan's eyes kept drifting shut, " Stay awake little brother. I'm going to have a word with Zoe - you need to go home."

It was a testament to how bad he was feeling because the younger man didn't object. Cal placed the water on the table then left to find Zoe.

Ten minutes later, with Zoe in tow, Cal made his way back to his brother, "He really needs to be at home..." Cal was telling her as he opened the door to the staff room. He was not prepared, however, for the sight that greeted him. His little brother was passed out on the floor with his face turned towards the floor, vomit pooling round his cheek, he was also shivering violently. Cal was rooted to the spot - how had he gotten this bad so quickly.

Zoe was already by Ethan's side, barking out orders. Lofty and Robyn appeared, seemingly out of nowhere with a trolley and before he knew it, they were racing across the department, straight into Resus.

Cal followed, his stomach in knots, his legs not really wanting to support him. He watched the flurry of activity from outside the door - he knew he would be useless in there at that moment. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder, "Deja vu?" Charlie's voice broke through.

Cal chuckled mirthlessly, "It's getting to be a regular thing..." He actually wanted to cry. Seeing his brother like that...

Before he knew it, Zoe was coming through the door, "He'll be fine. It's definitely gastroenteritis. He's dehydrated and his temperature is elevated. We've got him on some fluids so he should be feeling better soon."

Cal blew out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding, "It came on so quick. We only treated it yesterday..."

"I know, but I'm thinking that his immune system has taken a hell of a battering recently - he's not really had a lot of time to get over things so he's still picking everything up and it's taking him longer to shake them off. But he will be fine Cal. We are going to move him to an observation room shortly, but I don't see any reason why he won't be able to go home later," she smiled as she patted the anxious doctor on the arm.

"Can I see him?" pleaded Cal.

"When he's settled. Try and carry on with your shift and as soon as he's moved, you can go and see him ok?"

Cal wanted to argue. He wanted to see him now, couldn't she see that?

"Thanks Zoe," Cal smiled graciously.

By the end of his shift, Cal was so eager to see his brother that Lily took his last patient before he drove her mad with his endless pacing and things he wanted to say to Ethan.

Finally, he was able to see him. He gently closed the door behind him, immediately assaulted by memories from six months ago, the last time Ethan had been laid as still as night in this room.

He pulled up a chair and looked at everything that his brother was hooked up to. The young doctor rubbed a hand through his hair as he watched his brother rest.

"I haven't been sick for a while now," Ethan croaked from the bed, causing Cal to sit up straight.

"That's good news. Should mean that you can come home tonight," Cal hoped that would cheer him up.

Ethan smiled a little, "Are you alright? You look worse than I feel?"

Cal mentally shook himself, "Me? I'm fine. It's you that keeps doing the classic swan dives!"

Ethan smiled, "Yes it is getting a little tedious now.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes until Ethan started shuffling in his bed, "I must have missed it," he stated.

Cal looked confused, "Missed what?"

"I obvioulsy missed the memo that said 'let's kick Ethan while he's down!'" Ethan pouted.

Cal chuckled, "Yes Nibbles I think you did."

Ethan's eyes began to close once more, "My name is not Nibbles..."

'Yes' thought Cal, 'he's back.'

 **Well that's my meagre offering - any good? Thinking of another idea thanks to a prompt by another one of my fabulous reviewers...watch this space.**


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